Rosalina's Journey
by Star Hakurei
Summary: Rosalina is bound to the Observatory, where she carries out her duty of protecting the universe. So how did she end up on this strange new planet? And who is this mysterious D-Joker? -no particular pairings-
1. Chapter 1: Confusion

**Chapter 1: Confusion**

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><p>"...oww...wait, oww?" Rosalina awoke to find she had been laying on something hard and sharp.<p>

"...adslfkfl...asi!"

"Eh?" She quickly rolled to the side.

"...Phew! It was getting hard to breathe down there." The hard thing she had been lying on was actually Hoshi; one of the young Luma's.

"Oh. I'm so sorry Hoshi. Are you hurt?" she asked while grabbing the small star and checking it over for any cuts or scrapes.

"I'm fine!" the pink and red striped luma said cheerfully, freeeing itself from Rosalina's grasp, it bounced darted this way and that to prove it- then it stopped in mid-bounce.

"But mama...where are we?"

"Hmm? Oh, my..."

Much to Rosalina's surprise, they had somehow...ended up on a strange planet. They were no longer on the observatory. The tree's that surrounded them were more than enough to show that.

"We were...um, well, you were sleeping in the library, and I was coming in to wake you up...but then..."

"Hmm?" Snapping out of her racing thoughts, she turned to Hoshi who was trying to recall just what happened before they ended up on the strange planet.

"There was someone already there. I didn't recognize them."

A person? On the observatory? The only people who had ever been to the observatory were Luigi, the Toads and...who? She couldn't recall the face or name of the last person for some odd reason. Rosalina just shrugged it off. It probably wasn't that important.

"Do you remember what they looked like?"  
>"They were wearing a mask I think. One half was black and the other was white...oh! And they had a strange pointy hat with yellow diamond shapes on the ends."<br>"What happened after you saw them? Did they see you?"  
>"They turned towards me, and after that..." the little luma shivered.<br>"...after that?" she asked worriedly.  
>"...black. I don't remember what happened after that. Then I woke up with you on top of me, mama."<p>

_So whoever the strange person was must be responsible for us being here,_ Rosalina figured. _But...where is 'here' exactly?_

Quickly scanning the area with her eyes, she was able to tell it definitely wasn't the Mushroom World. The only way to make clear where they are- or how to get home is to explore.

"Want to go exploring little one?"  
>"Yeah! That sounds like fun!"<p>

Letting out a gentle laugh, Rosalina held the small star in her hands and walked off into the forest.

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><p>After walking- er, floating for a few hours, it was getting dark.<p>

Remembering the dangers back in the mushroom world of staying out past dark, and not having any knowledge of where they were, Rosalina decided it would be best to make a camp and rest until sunrise. They worked together, gathering hay to make beds and sticks to make a fire.

An hour later it was complete. Since both of the pair ate star bits and could go for long periods of time without food or water, there was no need to search for those things.

"But i'm not tired, mama!"

This was the usual argument the two would have every night.

"Shhh, settle down. It's late. If you want to continue exploring, you'll need your rest."  
>"...alright."<p>

Giving in, though not wanting to, Hoshi layed down on the small patch of hay next to the fire, and within minutes was sound asleep.

Finally getting some quiet time to think, Rosalina sank to the grass. Feeling the still warm grass against her skin was nice. Compared to the cold steel of the observatory. She didn't mind, though. Space was something she loved more than anything. There was a certain beauty about it. But now, being here...so many new yet nostalgic sights and sounds...it reminded her a lot of her home world.

As soon as that thought popped into her head, a shiver ran down Rosalina's spine.

It had been hundreds of years...would her home even still exist? If it did still exist, was it doing alright?

Being in a new world brought back questions she had asked herself hundreds of millions of trillions of times. She knew asking wouldn't help, because there wasn't anyone to answer them. Sinking even further, she let herself fall back onto the lush grass.

For the first time in hundreds of years, Rosalina was completely bewildered. All she could do was lay on the ground and stare at the sky. The sky. Space. Her home. The place she was bound to. All she could do now was try to piece together her memories.

She remebered it all so clearly...her home...her mother and father...the day she met Luma...the day she left home to help look for Luma's mother...the observatory...all the adventures in between...watching the mushroom world from space...all alone...for years and years...

So much had happened. Even being tasked with protecting the universe. How could she, of all people, end up with such a duty? Was it all a dream? _No. Hoshi's here, too._ she thought. _That's proof enough. But why...why me..._

Standing up and brushing her dress free of any dirt, she decided to do some solo exploring. A quick glance at her friend told her she had plenty of time.

Feeling bad for leaving the little star alone, but not wanting to endanger it while trying to learn more about this strange new place, she solidified her resolve.

As Rosalina walked slowly away from their campsite, she turned back. Only long enough to catch a final glance of the sleeping Luma... And she was off.

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><p>Star: Alright! First chapter done! :D I shouldn't Reveal too much, but I want you guys to have an idea of what to expect...hmmm...<p>

I guess i'll say that this story WILL have the following characters later on: Mario (of course), Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, some other random series characters, D- spoilers? xD Let's just say i'll be borrowing one character from Super Paper Mario (I just gave it away, didn't I?), and that Bowser WON'T be the antagonist- or at least, not the main one.

Expect some plot twists and random stuff! And expect this story to switch over to Rosalina's POV in the next chapter!

VOTE: Rosalina's going on her first real journey, so she's going to need some backup! Vote for which character you'd best like to accompany her on her travels by leaving a review, and I might even write parts of the story from their POV!

Review please!~~~


	2. Chapter 2: The Darkness of Night

Star: Putting my author's note before the chapter this time so the last words will have more time to sink in. Just saying thanks for the review, jakeroo! ...no corny rhyme intended, I swear. D:

Also, I edited the first chapter a bit. Typos are every writers best friend. =w=; K maybe not lol. Enjoy the chapter! Reviews are highly appreciated. ;3

Also: (I forgot to put this in the first chapter though let's pretened i did and why do we have to put this stuff if it's all fanfiction anyway so we're obviously not trying to steal characters? lolfail) I do not own any of the characters used in this fanfic. They belong to Nintendo.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: The Darkness of Night<strong>

It's rare for me to be in a situation where i'm at a loss for what to do.

I shivered. The weather had gotten cold awfully fast. And being out in space where the line between day and night was never certain, and it certainly was never too cold or too hot, I wasn't used to it. Pulling my sleeves down over my hands, I walked onward.

So far I hadn't encountered even a single living soul, which made me feel rather uneasy... It's not as if this place was one of those scary wastelands you'd read about in adventure books. It was actually the exact opposite.

The tree's that stood tall and proud overhead left just enough room in between the leaves for light to shine through during the day. Flowers of every size and color filled the meadows. Lush grass covered the ground as far as the eye could see.

Fruit, though Hoshi and I don't need to eat, hung from the tree's. There were a lot of one's I recognised. Such as Apples, Banana's, Pears and Peaches. They looked almost good enough to make me want to try one. Almost. And there were plenty I didn't recognise. Some had stripes, while some had spots. Though I wondered if those were really safe to eat.

It amazes and saddens me how such a beautiful place will never truly be appreciated by living things. It will just waste away, eventually forgotten, if it wasn't already...

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><p>I had come to a smaller enclosed area of the forest. There was a fork in the path. <em>Should I go left or right?<em>

**SNAP**

_A tree branch?_ Without showing any signs of panic, I carefully strained my eyes to see through the thick foliage. The moon provided plenty of light, but it was still dark enough that I couldn't locate whatever it was that had made the sound.

Normally I would have assumed it to be an animal of some sort. But since I hadn't seen any wildlife thus far, I highly doubted it.

Instinctively, I picked up my pace.

**SNAP**

_Again? Is something following me?_

Instead of running, which I realised might not be a good idea (If I were to get lost, I wouldn't be able to make it back to the campsite before sunrise), I decided to stand and defend myself.

I slipped the small silver wand I always kept with me from it's secret pocket on the inside of my sleeve. Readying myself, I tried to remember the fireball spell in case I needed it.

**SNAP**

This time I was able to make out a shadow- though only for a split second, as it raced from tree to tree. I also heard a faint laughter. It sounded sick and cruel.

I tensed, wand out in front of me, and pointed at the exact spot where I had heard the noise. I was starting to tire of this game and decided to approach the situation the best way I could think of- by luring whoever or whatever it was out of hiding.

"Reveal yourself. I do not wish to fight, but if you insist on following me, i'll have no choice."

silence

"I know you're there, show yourself, or else- THUD

"ugh..." Sitting up slowly, I grasped my head in an attempt to stop the splitting headache I had just recieved. That's when I noticed my hands- they were covered in dirt, and a small amount of blood was streaked across them. Must have happened when I fell onto the ground.

Then I noticed something else. The thud I heard came from...

...an apple. An apple with a note on it.

Before extending my hand towards the object, I closed my eyes and sensed my surroundings. The area seemed still, just like it had before I had started hearing the noises.

Since it at least seemed safe, I pushed myself up- though the attempt was slightly painful due to the scrapes on my hands- and grabbed the apple.

Carefully removing the note from the now dirt covered fruit, I read it aloud in my head:

"_Dear Guardian,_

_How are you enjoying your stay? Do you find it to be relaxing? Hahahaha... Actually, why am I even asking that? Of course you're enjoying it! Why wouldn't you enjoy being home, right? Though I don't understand how you could ever call a place as boringly peaceful as this 'home'. So of course I made sure to make it a little more exciting for you..._

_Hehehe. Don't worry. I didn't kill all of the animals, I simply...moved them somewhere else. Though if you are unable to figure out my puzzle midnight tomorrow, they'll make a delicious stew. ~_

_I also took a few of your strange little star creature friends home to play with me. You don't mind, right? After all, you have sooo many! Who would miss a few?_

_The puzzle is so simple though, even a baby could figure it out! Be lucky I went easy on you. Keep in mind you'll only get one clue. It will appear at your campsite around 8 AM; in other words, at sunrise._

_Good luck! And put on a good show for me, will you? If you need more motivation...i'd be more than happy to give it!_

_- D-joker_"

I just stared open mouthed at the letter I held in my bleeding hands.

The one sentence that caught me completely off guard, "_Why wouldn't you enjoy being home, right?_"

I had that strange feeling when I first looked around. That there was something odd about the place. Almost as if i'd been there before. After reading the letter, it all made sense.

This planet is my home- or rather, was my home.

But I couldn't let myself break down here. Not that I was going to, anyway. But I wouldn't allow myself to. This place may have been my home, but my mother is no longer here. I doubt any of my family is still here either. So now my real home was the observatory. My home...where my real family was waiting for me. Over the years I had learned if not anything else, how to always keep pushing forward, even when the odds are against you.

So I stood. Crumpled the paper I held in my fist. And ran as fast as I could back to the campsite, my mind not even focused on the contents of the letter any longer, but on something far more important.

_I left Hoshi alone._


	3. Chapter 3: A Hero Appears

**Chapter 3: A Hero Appears**

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><p>Normally one would call me almost unnaturally graceful. Tripping was something you'd never see me do (I suppose that's because I 'float' instead of walk). But I was worn down from the events that had taken place not much earlier, so walking was my only method of transportation at the moment.<p>

My legs, being unused to the strain walking put on my muscles, caused my face to make contact with the soft earthy ground not once, but twice.

Carefully and slowly pushing myself up, I wiped the mud and dried leaves from my face. Covered in dirt, mud and grass stains, twigs sticking out from my normally neat hair, just one look at me would be enough to scare the poor luma's into thinking I was some sort of mud monster.

I giggled at the thought. But then as quick as my joy came, it disappeared. That's when I remembered where the luma's were: trapped in a strange place with this supposed 'D-Joker'. The promise I had made to protect them no longer could be kept. I had already let them down.

But I would still do everything, anything, to save them.

Finally rising to my feet, ever so softly and swiftly I brushed away the bits of grass and broken leaves that had adhered themselves to my clothing.

Looking down, I noted that my favorite pale blue dress had a rather large tear in the fabric towards rim.

_I'll have to make a new one once I return home,_ I thought in dismay. I had owned this dress for as long as I could remember...long before I ventured out into space.

My mother made it for me as a going-away gift. It was made from a special silk, coated with stardust which gave it an almost unearthly glow. But most importantly, made with a mother's love. Nothing could replace that.

Not allowing my memories to take over for what must have been the hundrenth time that day, I reminded myself of my current situation.

Turning towards the direction of my destination, I took off walking with a somewhat swift pace. My leg hurt a little. No problem though. I've had much worse as a child. A little pain was nothing.

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><p>The darkness within the forest made me squint in an attempt to make out what was in front of me. My energy had returned for now, so I took advantage of my second wind as I zipped and zoomed, jumping over an occasional fallen log here and there, and of course avoiding any low hanging outstretched tree branches.<p>

Just up ahead, the red glow of a fire could barely be made out between the small spaces in the tree branches.

"Finally." I cried aloud, relief flooding my now horribly sore body, "I made it."

Pushing the last few branches aside, I stepped out into the clearing. The sun had just barely begun to rise. I made it. Albeit barely.

But I couldn't allow myself to rest just yet. Here is where my worst nightmare would be realized. I slowly turned to the spot I had left Hoshi-

Yes...it was as I feared. The grass was empty.

The image of a small red and pink striped luma, sleeping soundly and safely by a fire entered my mind. Grief and guilt washed over me. _If only I hadn't left...maybe you would still be safe. Or maybe if I had never fallen asleep back at the observatory, we'd both be safe and-_

Shaking my head to dislodge the thoughts, I knew thinking negatively wouldn't get me anywhere, so decided to take a few moments to look around more carefully.

The fire had settled down to not more than a few dying embers, still providing enough heat to keep one warm.

My sleeping place was no longer there. _The hay must have blown away with the wind, _I thought, _however, I do find it strange, since I haven't felt even the slightest breeze since I came here._

And that's when I noticed something I had completely missed.

The campsite was littered with at least a dozen half eaten apples. Some had twigs sticking out of their sides. Curiously, I approached one of these and picked it up.

"Ouch!" I cried out in pain whilst dropping the apple to my feet. It had been burning hot. Had someone tried to roast it?

**SNAP.**

Again? No wait, the sun had begun to rise over the mountains in the distance. Perhaps my clue was about to appear.

Still, after our last encounter, I couldn't help but raise my defenses. Slowly stepping into a stance, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to sink into a tranced state, tuning into the energies around me.

Nothing seemed out of place. Unlike last time when I had felt hostile and busy energy, this time everything seemed quiet and still. Did that mean he wasn't planning to attack?

I relaxed. My senses had never let me down before, so- **THUD.**

"Ooh..." I sat up and rubbed my forehead. The pain was unmistakeably worse due to the apple that had made contact with it only an hour earlier. But did this mean...surely not...I was- wrong? There had been a danger after all?

I quickly pulled myself up into and back into a stance.

"Enough cheap tricks," I said with as much authority in my voice as I could muster, "come out and fight, or don't fight at all." Tired and sore, this time I would certainly NOT stand for any games. If they wanted a fight, so be it.

"But I wasn't pulling any cheap tricks! It was an accident, I promise!" a voice said hastily from behind one of the tree's.

An accident? I looked to the ground and saw it was a banana that had knocked me into a fit of pain.

A banana. I had to give a small laugh at the thought of me being hit with one. It seemed like something comical you'd read about in a book. Even though the pain I recieved was far from comical. I grimaced, bringing my fingers back to the spot on my forehead, tracing the area I was sure would be bright red right about now.

But the voice sounded familiar...

Slowly, walking towards the small cluster of tree's opposite of the one's I had come from, I pulled aside the few branches blocking my view only to find...

I blinked in surprise. Was I seeing things? Perhaps breathing in the air on my old planet had made me slightly delusional?

My trance was quickly broken as something streaked straight across my line of sight.

"Mama!" Hoshi rushed into my arms, sobbing hysterically.

Cradling the shivering luma in my arms, I stroked it with my fingers, softly whispering to calm it. "Shhhh, it's alright now. I've got you." I sensed, rather than felt Hoshi's fear subside. In a few moments, it would undoubtly fall alseep in my arms. More grateful than words could describe for the luma's safety, I could only hug Hoshi close, knowing that I would do everything in my power to keep it safe.

"Who are you?" said the other voice in a surprised tone that perfectly mirrored my own surprise.

I didn't answer, instead kept stroking Hoshi, who seemed grateful for my presence. _Would it be safe to give this person information? Even my own name could give away too much. They could be a spy for D-Joker...perhaps they had even attempted to capture Hoshi?_

"Who are you?" The voice said again, slowly, before drifting off. They sounded a bit dazed, almost as if they were having trouble recalling something.

This time a spared a glance. I hadn't been wanting to make eye contact after my last reaction, but now that I had, it was as if some magnetic force wouldn't allow me to look away.

"Is your name...Rosalina?" I twitched unwillingy at the sound of my name. _How did they know? Had they been spying on me this whole time?_

And then I had a strange feeling. _No,_ I thought to myself, and wasn't sure why. _He's not the enemy._

The man who stood before me was someone important to me, or at least, that's what I felt.

Why was it that I had this feeling as though I knew the person standing in front of me, and yet, I was sure I had never seen them before in my life?

"Who are you...?" But even as I said the words, a name formed in my mind.

"You don't know me? I was sure just about everyone had by now." I shook my head, despite the fact I now knew the answer.

"It's-a-me, Mario!"

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><p>Star: Woot! Chapter 3 done! :D Bet you weren't expecting Mario to show up so soon, were you? If you did...I fail as an author. xD Sorry if it's a bit short, but i'm already almost done with the next chapter. More action in that one, I promise. ;3 Can't believe it took me this long to update, heheh. Sorry about that. And thanks for the reviews!<p>

I knew there must have been a few grammar mistakes, but I promise to skim back over everything when I get the chance. And there is one reason in particular why i'm keeping the first chapter in third person. You'll see why later on. ;3

Keep in mind that there's a reason Rosalina doesn't remeber Mario at first. Hopefully it will be sorta cleared up next chapter. Reviews are appreciated! And until next time, mata ne!~


	4. Chapter 4: Memories or Lies?

**Chapter 4: **Memories or Lies?

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><p>"Mario..." it sounded so familiar, but yet... "Haven't we met before?" I asked incredulously.<p>

Mario looked off to the side and scratched his head for a moment before replying, "I a-think so. But ah, I can't remember where or when. But I do know your name, so that means we must have-a met somewhere."

"Yes, that's true..." the magnetic force vanished, and so I directed my gaze towards the stars. Hoshi, now sound asleep as I had predicted, lay in my arms.

And then something hit me- not literally, thank goodness. I've had enough of being hit with fruits. But I remembered- the clue. It should be here by now.

"Mario, I hate to trouble you, but would you watch over Hoshi for me? Just for a few moments. I need to search the area."

"No problemo." He said whilst flashing a quick thumbs up for reassurance.

Carefully slipping Hoshi into his arms, I turned back towards the mess of a campsite. _Where to begin?_

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><p>Ten minutes later, I had torn apart the camp, put out what was left of the dying fire, and left no rock unturned.<p>

But there was nothing.

A small sigh wished to escape my lips, but I held it back. Sighing is unladylike, and it's what you do when you're ready to give up. My children are counting on me. There is no giving up.

"Mama! Mama!" Hoshi came flying and knocked right into me, causing it to tumble a bit in mid-air before adjusting it's position so it was upright again.

"Calm down little one," I giggled softly, "Seems you're finally awake. And energetic, as always." The complete opposite of what it had been when we first arrived.

I turned to see Mario walking over with a heap of fruit in his hands. Hoshi left me and zoomed over to him, grabbing one of the strange striped fruits, and then settling down on the grass by his side. _Hoshi must really trust Mario_, I thought with a small smile. It made me wonder just what had taken place while i was gone.

"This stuff tastes really good, mama!" "Oh?" This surprised me, because being a luma meant Hoshi lived off of star bits. I had never seen any of my children eat anything besides the colorful crystals. This however, sparked my intrest, and made me wonder if I should try one myself. It had been hundreds of years since I had eaten actual food.

The fruit now rested on the grassy earth in a pile next to Mario, who was sitting next to the pile with an apple in hand. I walked over and sat down, grabbing a golden star-shaped one out of the assortment. It looked edible enough.

Taking a small bite, I smiled. It was actually delicious! I had tasted something similar in the distant, very distant past...but I couldn't recall what it was. Still, this was just as good, or perhaps more delicious than star bits.

"How is it?" Mario asked with a goofy grin on his face. _How can he be so carefree when he is in this sort of situation?_ "Surprisingly, wonderful," I replied, allowing myself another bite, and giving a small smile thereafter to prove I did indeed enjoy it.

"But, if you don't mind me asking, how did you end up in this place?" Mario turned to face me, "I don't a-really know," he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I remember getting up to grab a midnight snack, when I heard the door open. Luigi was asleep, so I thought it was just me-a hearing things. But then I can't remember anything after that. I just-a woke up here." He finished with a small shrug, and went back to eating the apple.

That's odd. Why would he be here- unless- Wait, could it be? He was at the campsite, after all. And there was nothing else...

Mario was the clue I had been looking for.

But, why Mario? And did he just- "Did you say 'Luigi'?" "Yeah! He's my little bro, after all. Do you know him?" "Yes, he once saved the universe with my help...or..." Huh? He was the one who did all that...right? So why was my memory getting fuzzy?

"He did? Mama mia! He never told me about any of that. I'll have to ask him about it when I get back home." Even though i'm sure it was Luigi, how come...

_Something isn't right._

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><p>Mario and Hoshi are fast asleep at our new campsite. We went the entire day; walking, running, doing whatever we could to get somewhere but found nothing. Not a single living soul resided here. So D-Joker wasn't bluffing when he said he took all the animals.<p>

Getting lost when it's dark isn't an option, so we all- minus Hoshi who disagreed with this, as per usual routine- decided it would be best to rest and pick up the search in the morning.

But it's hopeless. I know that. What are we searching for? What is there to find? And only I know that the clock is ticking, every second closer to whatever horrible things that joke of a joker talked about.

I sat on a rock a few feet away from camp. After realizing I had about an hour left before the deadline, there was no time for sleeping.

The moon shone brightly in contrast to the endlessly black sky. Each star looking as if it would fall at any moment to make a rain of broken dreams and lost memories. I still hadn't figured out what happened earlier when Mario and I were discussing Luigi...I felt like everything I said had been a lie. But how could that be possible?

And there's that forbidden topic coming to the surface again; memories.

Standing, I walked off into the forest, knowing this time exactly where I was going.

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><p><strong>Star: <strong>GAH. I'm sure there's some typos and stuff in here; it was rushed. But I hope you guys are hanging in there! The action I promised is being put off until next chapter BUT no worries. I'm already basically done with the next chapter; it should be posted sometime tonight /is trying to finish it before she loses motivation

And I am soooo sorry for taking this long to update! A ton of health issues lately. I swear, it feels like it's already 2012 lol. So much bad luck lately. And for those of you living in the US and on the East Coast...well, you should know how much fun everything is right now. :c Bewteen the earthquake and hurricane that hit...geez, talk about weird.

Weeell, enough of me talking. xD See you all soon!~


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